The Miami Heat's lack of depth in the backcourt behind Davion Mitchell could end up forcing the team into an unconventional move based on their recent history.
Normally, especially with the way the front office has operated of late, the Heat would want to enter the season with only 14 players on standard contracts. Why? Well, because it keeps the door open to add a 15th player in-season, whether that's via a surprise cut or a robust buyout market.
Either way, it's a tactic that the Heat have used in the past to help give them an added layer of roster flexibility heading into a new year. However, as NBA insider Jake Fischer notes, the Heat may be more inclined to add a veteran guard with their 15th roster spot this time around.
“The Heat to my understanding do have some internal interest in looking at a veteran guard to round out their backcourt, right now they don’t have a ton of depth beyond Davion Mitchell...I do think Miami’s roster isn’t exactly done and the guard position will be something they look at moving forward.”
The Heat must make a decision on the 15th roster spot soon
Nothing is final or has been decided just yet, but it's certainly something that the Heat will have to sort out sooner rather than later. Training camps are going to open in the next few weeks, and you'd imagine that if a move is coming, the Heat will work to get that done before then.
Theoretically speaking, there's an argument for both sides.
It's perfectly understandable for the Heat to want to retain roster flexibility. After all, you never know when a surprise player is going to hit the open market (ex: Klay Thompson). But at the same time, there's a real argument to be made that the Heat would benefit from adding more depth to the backcourt.
Fischer threw out the name Gabe Vincent as a player who has been linked to the Heat recently. The familiarity would make sense if Miami is going to fill that roster spot. Vincent spent four seasons in Miami before signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency in 2023. He's also reportedly close with Bam Adebayo.
As you'd expect, there are both pros and cons to both decisions.
It's certainly something that the front office will have to work through over the next couple of weeks. But ultimately, this likely comes down to one question: How vulnerable do the Heat become if they have to endure one big injury in the backcourt?
Is it something that would derail their season? Because if the answer to that question is yes, then how could they not fill that 15th roster spot with a veteran guard? But if the answer is no, then maybe we will see the Heat keep that roster spot open heading into the start of training camp.
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